I was watching an interview with singer and songwriter Shania Twain recently, where she made a powerful, life-altering statement that immediately jumped out at me. Before I share that statement with you, however, let me give you a little back story.

Twain has had an incredible career that includes five Grammys and a best-selling country album of all time. However, after feeling immense pressure from the music industry and learning that after 14 years of marriage, her husband and close friend were having an affair, she found herself divorced, unable to sing and feeling broken. She said that she became such an emotional mess that she lost her voice and couldn’t even sing to herself in the shower.

Then, in the summer of 2010, she reached a point where she knew she had to do something in order to climb out of the hole she found herself in, find her voice again and improve her life. Thinking about all that happened to her and searching for a way to overcome it all, she said the following: “It took me two years to find out that it’s really me. I’m responsible for the solution!”

I bet there isn’t one person among us who can’t identify, to some degree, with Twain’s situation. Even though the specifics may be different, life has a way of putting us all on the edge and occasionally finds a way to truly test our emotional armor and will to carry on. It’s at these difficult times when we hit rock bottom, feel like all is lost and are ready to give up that something happens to turn it all around.

It wasn’t just her words that moved me as much as it was the freedom, clarity and excitement in her voice as she uttered those words. After all that pain, agony and searching, the key to her freedom and the solution to her struggle was right there inside her all the time. It immediately reminded me of that scene from “The Wizard of Oz” where Dorothy discovers that, after all her searching, she had the power to go back to Kansas all along. Just like the good witch Glinda advised Dorothy, Twain just had to learn it for herself!

Of course, I realize that getting to this point is much easier said than done. However, regardless of what kind of emotional pain or personal distress you find yourself deeply entrenched in now, you’re ultimately the solution finder and problem solver. The key is that the solution has to grow out of an honest desire to want something better for yourself. That’s the first step in finding the pathway out of misery. You must first have a deep yearning for escape, put together a viable escape plan and then work that plan relentlessly.

I was reminded of that precious piece of information as I watched Twain talk about her personal journey and share the lessons she learned along the way. I hope her story and this reflection moves you to look inward for the solution to what ails you. Because, at the end of the day, only you can move you, only you can feel you, only you can live you and only you can change you. Thank you for that reminder, Shania!